Pika do not hibernate, instead spending the summer cutting choice foliage, spreading it over the rocky slopes where they live to dry in the sun, and building up huge stores of dried plants so they can eat all winter inside their burrows.

They cannot regulate body temperature in warm weather, and may die if their surroundings reach the 80s. This is why they live at higher altitudes and seek habitat with plenty of underground shade options.

Although they look like mice, their closest relative is the rabbit.

Seeing pika always makes me happy, but they are shy so it's more common to only hear their calls. Rainier hikers will often hear a cheery <meep> <meep> when passing pika habitat such as a scree slope.